The Incredibles - merged theatrical thread

[SPACEHERO55]

Hey I have some great news.An Animated Film that is longer than 90 minutes. It goes without saying that I am sooooo excited about The Incredibles. I mean it is being made by what I think is the best studio out there making animated films (Pixar) and it's about a subject matter that is very dear to my heart (Superheroes) and it's directed by a man I admire and who directed one of the best animated films ever even though it is highly underrated (Brad Bird, The Iron Giant).

I mean what more could I want. For the past few days My excitement for this film has been fueld even more, from seeing countless clips online and Trailers and short making of featurettes and I even got to hear 4 tracks from the great musical score. Just when I thought that this film could not get any better I find out it's running time.......115 minutes long!!!! Can you bealive it. That is the longest animated film made here in the US. That is 1 hour and 55 minutes thats just 5 minutes short of 2 hours.

That means that the film will have considerably more action scenes than your typical atempt at an Animated Aventure film. The 115 running time tells me that they did not have to compromise and sacrafice scenes because they had to keep it under 90 minutes. This is how long Atlantis should have been if it was 115 minutes long they could have kepped that Squid Bat scene, This is how long Treasure Planet and Sinbad should have been.

Ronald C

[Ben]

Welcome to the boards!

You're certainly jazzed up about Pixar's latest aren't you?

Actually, I agree that, at that length, the film will have time to breathe and take in all the multiple layers that the trailers seem to point to.

Just a thought, though: I know that Pixar's Boundin' is attached directly to the print of The Incredibles, and it's could be quite possible that the running time takes in the entire length of the program (sans trailers and ads, of course).

That being said, Incredibles could (if Boundin' is indeed counted in that length) still end up being around 95-100 minutes...pretty cool!


BTW...the original road show version of Fantasia is the longest America animated film, clocking in at 125 minutes. Even at its cut length, it's still 115 - matching the Incredibles.

[macontosh2000]

From what i have read the film itself is 115 minutes long not including the trailers and short (the short is only like 2 minutes).

[Macaluso]

I don't really think animated films NEED to run much further than 90 minutes personally.

So many of those anime movies are ruined to me becase they just TAKE SO LONG with EVERYTHING.

Spirited Away was SO NEEDLESSLY long.
Princess Monoke was tough to sit through.
And Akira took WAY too long IMO. Though I really enjoyed watching the fluid animatin in it, so it wasn't as bad as the other two movies, cause I couldn't enjoy that animation.

But um yeah, incredibles. I personally hope that, that boundin' short is part of the length.

[SPACEHERO55]

Well I dont really consider Fantasia a true Animated Film in the traditional sense.The Incredibles is the first traditional animated film of it's length that has a story.

I dissagree Macaluso. There are some animated films that needed to be longer than 90 minutes, amung them are Atlantis, Treasure Planet and Sinbad. I for one am glad that Incredibles is longer and I do not hope that Bounding is part of that 115 running time.



Ronald C

[Macaluso]

The problem I have, is that when an animated movie runs too long, it's like they strain for pacing.

Which is what I always see on anime movies.

now I dunno how well it would work in say, a disney movie. I could be wrong, they could be fine. But going of anime movies, I don't like 2 hours or something movies.

[ShyViolet]

Leonard Maltin (movie critic) has a real hang-up about length, even with films he likes he has to mention that they are "dragged out" or "overlong."
But he's loved and I mean LOVED everything Pixar's done so far, so I'm sure Incredibles' length won't bother him.

Personally I have nothing against a longer movie--i feel that length is totally irrlevent. As long as the story's served, that's what matters. Just my opinion.

[Ben]

The Incredibles is the first traditional animated film of it's length that has a story.

The Incredibles isn't "traditional" - it's CGI!

I have to say that, whatever you think, Fantasia IS counted by all and sundry as an animated film, albeit an anthology one, but it is the longest out there.

I agree with Macaluso over anime. It's not so much the pacing but the 6-frame animation that kills it for me. I can't get past that barrier that it puts between me and getting into the film. Akira, Metropolis and Steamboy were, for this very reason, the most watachble, since they are all drawn on at least twos, with some scenes VERY fluid and likely on ones.

[ShyViolet]

The Incredibles is the first traditional animated film of it's length that has a story.

The Incredibles isn't "traditional" - it's CGI!

I have to say that, whatever you think, Fantasia IS counted by all and sundry as an animated film, albeit an anthology one, but it is the longest out there.

I agree with Macaluso over anime. It's not so much the pacing but the 6-frame animation that kills it for me. I can't get past that barrier that it puts between me and getting into the film. Akira, Metropolis and Steamboy were, for this very reason, the most watachble, since they are all drawn on at least twos, with some scenes VERY fluid and likely on ones.

I'm very curious: what does "six-frame animaton" mean? Sorry, I'm kind of a novice.

[SPACEHERO55]

What I ment by traditional was not the animation. I ment the story format. Fantasia is an anthology film. It's not a traditional movie.


Ronald C

[Macaluso]

The Incredibles is the first traditional animated film of it's length that has a story.

The Incredibles isn't "traditional" - it's CGI!

I have to say that, whatever you think, Fantasia IS counted by all and sundry as an animated film, albeit an anthology one, but it is the longest out there.

I agree with Macaluso over anime. It's not so much the pacing but the 6-frame animation that kills it for me. I can't get past that barrier that it puts between me and getting into the film. Akira, Metropolis and Steamboy were, for this very reason, the most watachble, since they are all drawn on at least twos, with some scenes VERY fluid and likely on ones.

I'm very curious: what does "six-frame animaton" mean? Sorry, I'm kind of a novice.

Anime is generally not very fluid at all. Akira is one of those rarities that blew me away. Especially when that monster thing started shooting out of the dude.

[MusicFan]

The Incredibles is the first traditional animated film of it's length that has a story.

The Incredibles isn't "traditional" - it's CGI!

I have to say that, whatever you think, Fantasia IS counted by all and sundry as an animated film, albeit an anthology one, but it is the longest out there.

I agree with Macaluso over anime. It's not so much the pacing but the 6-frame animation that kills it for me. I can't get past that barrier that it puts between me and getting into the film. Akira, Metropolis and Steamboy were, for this very reason, the most watachble, since they are all drawn on at least twos, with some scenes VERY fluid and likely on ones.

I'm gonna keep my mouth shut on anime, because the last time I spoke about anime I caused quite a bit of controversy, let's just say I'm not an anime fan.

[SPACEHERO55]

I dont think it's fair to use Anime as an example of why animated films should not be longer than 90 minutes. The Japanese do things differently, the way they tell their stories is different. They are alla bout sureal symbolism and bizzare meaning, They like to kill of their main characters and most animes have really depressing endings.

I think it's better to look at American live action films that are 2 hours long and it works. I look at films like the Star Wars Trilogy, Indiana Jones Trilogy and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. These films were Epic Action Adventure/Sci-Fi films that were made better by their longer length. They were too big and epic to be confined to a time frame of less that 90 minutes. These films were longer, but keeped your interest. there was an equal amount of plot and character development and awsome action because of the longer length, you get the best of both worlds.

I feel it's like this for most adventure films. They just tend to be longer and it works out better cause of it. I feel that animated adventure films should be the same way. Atlantis should have been longer with more action scenes same goes for Treasure Planet and Sinbad.

Trust me the film wont drag and you wont get bored. The Length justifies the subject matter of the film. It's A Superhero Action Adventure and a 115 running time is dead on. This is not an anime.


Ronald C

[Special_Ed]

Animation is looked on as a sub lower class film genre. Every other film technique can go over 90 minutes without any complain save animation. There is nothing wrong with an animated film running over 90 minutes if it takes longer to tell the story. Atlantis and Prince of Egypt are both films that would have been greater at a longer length. More time allows for more depth of story and more time for character development. I applaud Pixar for once again taking this new step to make animation on par with all live action genres. We need to be excited at what new doors this can open. Just think, 10 years from not a 2 hr plus animated feature may be a common thing.

BTW ShyViolet, you need to chug on over to Savedisney.com. They have an 11 part article on the history of new Disney animation that you need to read. From the exemployees I know this is a very accurate portrayal of events.

[Lindsay]

I agree wholeheartedly Ed, but what about all the ADHD children with 2-second attention spans? I mean, cartoons are just for children, after all.